Senior State Dept. official heading to Egypt

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is sending a senior envoy to Egypt, the first to be dispatched since the ouster of President Mohammed Morsi.

The State Department said its No. 2 diplomat, Deputy Secretary Bill Burns, is slated to meet with interim government officials as well as civil society and business leaders during his two-day visit, which began Sunday.

The State Department said in a statement Sunday that Burns would underscore U.S. support for the Egyptian people, an end to all violence and a transition leading to an inclusive, democratically elected civilian government.

The Egyptian military forced Morsi from power July 3 following days of massive demonstrations against the country’s democratically elected president. He is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, and its members are demanding his reinstatement.